The present invention relates to an optical active connector plug for local area network (hereinafter, it is referred as xe2x80x9cLANxe2x80x9d) and its connector port. Particularly, the present invention relates to an optical active connector plug in a type of a modular plug having eight wires and eight wires/contacts (hereinafter, it is referred as xe2x80x9chaving eight wires/contactsxe2x80x9d) and its connector port, and specified ones of the four pairs of plug contacts, wherein an optical signal can be transmitted between LAN devices without converting electric interface of the modular plug having eight contacts of the LAN device and means for converting electric signals and optical signals is provided in an inside of a connector case.
It has been well known Ethernet type interconnects at speeds of up to 10 Mb/s and Fast Ethernet type interconnects at speeds of up to 100 Mb/s as a signal standard for transmitting signals between LAN devices, that is, between a respective terminal and a respective hub and between a respective patch panel and a hub, in a workstation and a personal computer in a LAN system.
In the LAN system satisfying the above standard, a high speed data transmission cable typically comprising four circuits defined by eight wires arranged in four twisted pairs or coaxial cable are connected between LAN device.
FIG. 2 shows an example of a conventional connection between LAN devices constituting a LAN system. FIG. 2 shows a condition how a terminal of a personal computer (herein after, it is referred as xe2x80x9cterminalxe2x80x9d) is connected to a corresponding hub.
At both ends of the connection, a terminal 201 and a hub 202 are connected by an electric cable of which the both ends has modular plug type electric connectors 203 and 204 having eight wires, respectively, wherein the modular plug type electric connector 203 having eight wires is connected to an electric connector port 271 of the terminal 201 and the modular plug type electric connector 204 having eight wires is connected to an electric connector port (not shown) of the hub 202.
It is necessary for the hub 202 to be supplied from a battery source. Therefore, a power source cord 235 is provided.
Under the condition, electric signals can be transmitted between the terminal and the hub.
However, in the structure as shown in FIG. 2, it is difficult to transmit a signal for a long distance in accordance with characteristics of its electric cable. The maximum transmitting distance would be about 100 m.
For example, in the case of providing a LAN system in an office building, there would be some problems in view of providing a cable arrangement freely if the maximum transmitting distance should be designed within 100 m.
As one of the methods to resolve the above described subject, there is a method for employing an electric signal amplifier called as a repeater at a portion between a terminal and a hub as shown in FIG. 3.
That is, a terminal 301 and a repeater 313 are connected by an electric cable 307 of which each end has modular plug type electric connectors 303 and 305 having eight wires/contacts, respectively. The modular plug type electric connector 303 having eight wires/contacts is inserted into an electric connector port (not shown) of the terminal 301 and the modular plug type electric connector 305 having eight wires/contacts is inserted into an electric connector port (not shown) of the repeater 313.
Likewise, a hub 302 and repeater 313 are connected by an electric cable 308 of which each end has modular plug type electric connectors 304 and 306 having eight wires/contacts, respectively. The modular plug type electric connector 304 having eight wires/contacts is inserted into an electric connector port 372 of the hub 302 and the modular plug type electric connector 306 having eight wires/contacts is inserted into an electric connector port 373 of the repeater 313.
With respect to the hub 302 and the repeater 313, it is necessary to provide an external power source. Therefore, power source cords 335, 330 are provided for the hub 302 and the repeater 313, respectively.
Further, if a signal transmitting distance is long, a repeater is inserted every 100 m in the case of the fast Ethernet signal. In such a case, the repeater is connected in such a manner as described above.
In the structure as shown in FIG. 3, it is necessary to provide a space for an additional repeater. It is a demerit in view of constructing a free-design LAN system.
In the structures as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, electromagnetic noise occurred in areas such as a factory and other places is apt to be baneful and be influential to an electric cable such that signals cannot be transmitted stably.
On the other hand, in an area such as a hospital, where electromagnetic noise should be shut, noise caused by an electric cable would cause malfunction of medical devices.
To resolve the problem in the LAN system as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, instead of the repeater (s), a pair of media converters for converting an electric signal and an optical signal are provided between a terminal and a hub. By connecting an optical fiber cable between the pair of the media converters, a signal transmitting distance is remarkably improved.
FIG. 4 shows a LAN connecting condition between a terminal and a hub employing the media converters.
A terminal 401 and a media converter 410 are connected by an electric cable 407 of which each end has modular plug type electric connectors 403 and 405 having eight wires/contacts, respectively. The modular plug type electric connector 403 having eight wires/contacts is inserted into an electric connector port (not shown) of the terminal 401 and the modular plug type electric connector 405 having eight wires/contacts is inserted into an electric connector port 473 of the media converter.
Likewise, a hub 402 and a media converter 411 are connected by an electric cable 408 of which each end has modular plug type electric connectors 404 and 406 having eight wires/contacts, respectively. The modular plug type electric connector 404 having eight wires/contacts is inserted into an electric connector port 472 of the hub 402 and the modular plug type electric connector 406 having eight wires/contacts is inserted in to an electric connector port 474 of the media converter 411.
With respect to the hub 402 and the media converters 410 and 411, it is necessary to provide an external power source. Therefore, battery source cords 435, 436, and 437 are provided for the hub 402 and the media converters 410 and 411, respectively.
The media converters 410 and 411 are connected by an optical fiber cable 412 of which each end has optical connectors 420 and 421, respectively. The optical connector 420 is inserted into the optical connector port 477 of the media converter 410 and the optical connector 421 is inserted into the optical connector port 478 of the media converter 411.
Under the foregoing structure, an electric signal is transmitted between a terminal and the media converter, an optical signal is transmitted between the two media converters and an electric signal is transmitted between the media converter and the hub. If the length of the electric cable is very short, a signal transmitting distance can be remarkably extended by an optical fiber cable for a long distance.
However, in the structure as shown in FIG. 4, it is necessary to provide a space for an additional media converter. It is a demerit in view of providing a free-designed LAN system.
Regarding a power source, it is necessary to provide a special power source cord for each media converter.
Further, even if the length of an electric cable is very short, a problem caused by electromagnetic noise cannot be resolved.
To accomplish the above object, the present invention provides a modular plug type optical active connector plug having eight wires/contacts and its connector port with a simple power source, wherein LAN devices are connected by only optical fiber cables without providing a space for an additional LAN device and changing electric connector interface in the LAN devices already established and heat is effectively radiated in an inside of connectors and electromagnetic can be prevented from radiating to an exterior of the connectors.
An optical active connector plug for LAN may comprise an electric connector interface for transmitting/receiving an electric signal, an optical interface capable for transmitting/receiving the electric signal, an optical sub-module capable of converting the electric signal and the optical signal, an electrical circuit capable of driving, amplifying, and identifying the signals and a connector case for installing a wiring board on which the optical sub-module and the electrical circuits are mounted.
An optical active connector plug for LAN may comprise a modular plug type electric connector interface having eight wires/contacts wherein electrode terminals are formed to transmit/receive an electric signal, a receptacle for the optical interface, an optical sub-module having an optical element, the optical sub-module capable for converting the electric signal and an optical signal, an optical connector inserted into the receptacle, an electrical circuit electrically connected to the module, the electrical circuit for driving, amplifying, and identifying the signals and a connector case for installing a wiring board on which the optical sub-module and the electrical circuit are mounted, the wherein the connector case includes a metal piece covering the optical sub-module and a part of the wiring board, connected to a heat radiation via-hole provided on one surface of the wiring board and an uneven surface is partly provided on another surface of the metal piece opposite to the surface.
An optical active connector plug for LAN may comprise a modular plug type electric connector interface having eight wires/contacts wherein electrode terminals are formed to transmit/receive an electric signal, a pigtail for an optical interface, an optical sub-module having an optical element, the optical sub-module capable for converting the electric signal and an optical signal, an electrical circuit electrically connected to the module, the electrical circuit for driving, amplifying, and identifying the signals; and a connector case for installing a wiring board on which the optical sub-module and the electrical circuit are mounted, wherein the connector case includes a metal piece covering the optical sub-module and a part of the wiring board, connected to a heat radiation via-hole provided on one surface of the wiring board and an uneven surf,ace is partly provided on another surface of the metal piece opposite to the surface.
In the optical active connector plug for LAN, the wiring board may include at least one power supply pin of which a front end is protruded from the connector case.
In the optical active connector plug for LAN, battery power is supplied to the electrical circuits through the electrode terminal.
In the active connector plug for LAN, a battery supply element is fixed at a portion surrounding with the connector port and the battery supply pin and the battery supply element are contacted to supply power by adapting the electric interface.
In the optical active connector plug for LAN, the interface is a connector port adapted through a battery supply board and the battery supply pin contacts the battery supply element by adapting the electrical interface to supply power and the battery supply board is mechanically held.
By employing an optical active connector plug in accordance with the present invention, it is unnecessary to provide a space for additional LAN devices and tools. The LAN devices can be connected by only optical fibers without changing an electric connector interface of the LAN devices already established. Heat produced in a connector can be effectively radiated, electromagnetic radiation is prevented from radiating to an exterior of the connector and a supply battery source can be simplified.